Jimmy Panetta formally Tuesday announced he is running for Congress and is hoping to win the seat currently held by Rep. Sam Farr, a Democrat who is retiring at the end of his term.

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Panetta, who is running as a Democrat only has one opponent currently, Casey Lucius a moderate republican who has been in the race for months.

Lucius said in an interview Tuesday she looks forward to a lively debate on the issues.

"The seat hasn't been open for 22 years, we haven't had a debate for 22 years, I think we are going to have a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm for this particular race," Lucius said.

Lucius sits on the Pacific Grove City Council, has served all over the world in the United States Navy and has a master's in National Security Affairs from the Naval Post Graduate School.

The former Navy intelligence briefer doesn't think Panetta will be her only competition in the race.

"I suspect that there will be others, I know that there are people who are currently holding elected office who are interested in sharing their ideas," she said about potential candidates.

State Assemblyman Luis Alejo expressed his interest in the seat in an interview last Thursday but has yet to make an announcement.

Lucius said even if others enter the race she still needs to work on name recognition, because Panetta is already well known thanks to his father Leon Panetta, the man who held the seat before Farr.

"I think we are going to have to work a lot harder to get my name out there, obviously I don't have a famous last name, so we're going to have to work hard to get my ideas and my name out to the public," she said.

Others wishing to enter the race have until the second week of March 2016 to file.